Magnetic
by lovestory121
Summary: Fili doesn't trust Kili to get the brothers out of a dangerous situation, thinking it's his job, as older brother to get them out of it. However his lack of trust may just make things go from bad to worse.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own the hobbit. This is dedicated to ILOVEJESSENGLAND who said that she didn't trust me the other day, this is what happens when you don't trust someone :P (Well not exactly but you know my point). We came to conclusion that we are like Fíli and Kíli because I'm younger and more immature and she sometimes doesn't go along with stuff that I do and looks on with equal despair and amusement as I tie string all down our housemates corridor.

Magnetic

"C'mon Fíli, don't you trust me?" asked Kíli, looking up at his older brother. The blonde dwarf looked at his younger, darker haired, sibling,

"Well, it is always you that gets us into these situations brother". Kíli feigned hurt, crocodile tears flooding his big brown eyes, one hand moving to grip his heart dramatically.

"It is not I that gets us caught brother" Fíli snorted, "What about the time we put mother's food colouring on Thorin's soap?" replied the older brother. "You were the one who snorted when he walked in with a red streaked beard"

"The time we replaced Dwalin's hammer with an exact replica made of painted parchment?" "You spilt the water on it and it crumbled to pieces",

"Erm… the time… the time, you were injured when we snuck out to watch the stars" "You pushed me down the hill! It was your fault I was injured!" Fíli, unable to come up with a retort, looked away from Kíli trying to remember a time that it actually was Kíli that had gotten them caught.

The brothers were currently trapped on a thin ledge some 15 feet below the path they had been riding on. Their ponies were still neighing and prancing in fear, somewhere above them, and once again it was all Kíli's fault. The two of them were on their way to Hobbiton to meet up with the rest of their company and their newest member, Dwalin and Balin had been travelling with them but the two had elected to travel ahead in order to have a break from the two young dwarves and their almost constant pranks. In order to keep them entertained on their now rather lonesome journey Kíli had started a game of impersonations. Several hours had passed before Fíli's impression of Thorin had Kíli laughing so badly that he couldn't breathe.

Worried, Fíli had stopped his horse, and swatted Kíli hard on the back, knocking his unsuspecting brother right off his horse. Kíli had reacted like any warrior who had just been surprised would and immediately drew and arrow from his quiver and had notched it into his bow. Jumping to his feet, chest heaving as he struggled to regain his breath. Fíli had been laughing both at his brother falling off the horse and his reaction, as he dismounted his own horse. Watching as what had happened dawned on Kíli. The glare his younger brother directed at him was almost enough to stop him laughing. Almost. It had been when Fíli was in striking distance of Kíli that the dwarf had exacted his revenge. Leaping right onto his brother and knocking them both down to the floor. Unfortunately it was at this moment that a tree snake fell out of the canopy of gnarled branches above the road.

The horses saw it before the dwarves rolling around at the edge of the path did, and with a sudden whinny of terror Kíli's horse lashed out. Rearing up before bringing his hooves down right on the edge of the path. Crumbling the entire edge of it and sending both brothers falling into their current predicament.

However his trip down memory lane was disrupted by the ledge the two young dwarves were on began to shake slightly again. It was clearly fragile and not meant to hold the weight of two armour clad dwarves. They both pressed their backs further into the wall, feet sliding on the crumbling stone. Fíli looked up again eyes gauging the distance up to the path from which they had fallen, before looking down at the fast flowing river twenty feet below them. When the trembling had stopped he looked over towards his brother.

Kíli was staring down at the small pieces of rock that were splashing into the river far below, eyes wide. Before determination sparked life back into his gaze. "Fíli if our places were reversed you know that I would trust you and your plans, for once will you listen to mine?" Fíli looked at his brother in shock, it was true that when it came to situations like this he was the one that often pulled them out of the fire, he was the older brother. It was his responsibility to keep them both safe, and it was true that he often didn't trust Kíli's ideas, vetoing them with his own ones, and Kíli had never once questioned them. Therefore it was Fíli's job to get them out of this. it wasn't that he didn't trust his brother, there was no one else that he would want at his back in a fight but when it came to planning, Kíli was only good at pranks, not situations where lives depended on him.

"Don't panic Kíli, I'll think of something, just give me a minute"

"I'm not panicking, if you would just listen for once!" this time the hurt on his face was real and it Fíli almost considered going along with Kíli's hare brained scheme. But there must be a better way. Kíli saw it in his brothers face, the moment that he completely dismissed his idea. It would work. All it would take is one arrow with a rope tied securely to it, one shot and the arrow would embed itself into the canopy of branches that could still be seen over the edge of the wall they were backed up against. Deciding that he would go through with his plan anyway, he shifted his arm retrieving and arrow from his quiver and began tying some rope to it.

Fíli mind was still turning itself over trying to come up with a plan. Why was it that his brother was a trouble magnet? It seemed like everything dangerous was drawn by some invisible force to his younger brother, or maybe it was his brother that was drawn to them? He was unsure.

But then the two of them were like magnets as well. Complete opposites in appearance, his light hair and bearded face contrasted darkly against his brothers dark hair and stubble. But in personality the two were one and the same. Pulled towards each other like magnets, so he supposed he couldn't blame Kíli for all of this.

Whilst he was lost in his wonderings, Kíli had been very busy and had tied the rope to his brother's belt as well as his arrow. Before notching the arrow and firing it. Fíli turned around at the sound of the arrow firing in time to see the rope fly upwards. "Kíli! I told you to let me handle it!" "We don't have enough time to wait for you to come up with a better idea! Just trust me! Climb up the rope and then lower it back down for me."

As he stepped towards his younger brother the ledge they were standing on gave way completely. Fíli, tied to the rope fell only a few feet before the rope became taught and caught him leaving him suspended above the river, watching as Kíli disappeared into the roaring river below with a startled yell.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I still own nothing, unfortunately, but I would like to thank all the people who have reviewed, favourite and followed my story. You have no idea how much that helps to inspire me. I would also like to thank my housemate, Alice, who gave me the idea for this next chapter.

_Previously_

_As he stepped towards his younger brother the ledge they were standing on gave way completely. Fíli, tied to the rope fell only a few feet before the rope became taught and caught him leaving him suspended above the river, watching as Kíli disappeared into the roaring river below with a startled yell._

Chapter 2

"Kíli!" cried Fíli, as his eyes scanned the surface of the river below for his younger brother to surface. Suspended from the rope as he was, he could see much further than if he had fallen down there, but he would much rather have fallen with his brother than be unable to help him at all. For several heart-wrenching moments, only his voice echoed back at him over the roaring of the river, and Fíli felt a horrible weight settle itself over his chest. Why hadn't he listened? Kíli was known for being immature but he had never intentionally caused harm to anyone with his jokes, why would he have started when they were both in danger. Did he really not trust him that much? Look where that distrust had gotten them!

Movement from below caught his gaze and his eyes snapped to the dark shape of Kíli trying to stay above the water below him. He was quite far downstream by now but Fíli could still make out his brother's arms clinging at the rock walls of the canyon, and his ears heard the faint cry of his brother. "Fíli!"

"Kíli! Do not move! Stay right there! I will... I'll get to you!" He couldn't tell whether Kíli heard him over the water that must be much louder in his ears, but he had to try and offer some measure of comfort. Not knowing what else to do he began to climb up the rope that he was suspended from, the entire time kicking himself for simply doing this when his brother had first suggested it. On several occasions it felt like the arrow the rope was tied to would come loose, but like Kíli had promised, the rope held and Fíli found himself standing on the path, with the two ponies. Scrambling quickly to his feet he turned to peer over the edge, eyes shooting to the exact spot where Kíli had been, only to find no sign of his brother.

Leaping onto his pony and grabbing the reins to Kíli's the older dwarf, spurred his pony into a gallop following the river. Trusting his horse not to run itself of the Fíli keep his eyes on the river, eyes roving over the surface trying to locate his wayward brother. For several tense minutes, with his heart pounding in unison with the ponies' hooves, all Fíli could think about was his brother, since Kíli had been born, the two had been nigh on inseparable, what would his life be without him? He could not do this without him. The path suddenly verged away from the river and Fíli's horse moved to follow it but with a gentle tug of the reins he kept it following the river, and soon left the path behind.

The sensation of the ground crumbling from beneath his feet was not one that Kíli would forget anytime soon. The feeling was similar to awakening from a dream where you are falling, your limbs all shooting up of their own accord to try and secure yourself. Only the feeling didn't dissipate as your foggy brain registers a bed beneath you. The feeling was horrible, and Kíli didn't even have the time to yell before he was already halfway to the water.

If the feeling of falling was unpleasant then actually hitting the water was torture. The impact alone was enough to knock him senseless for several seconds, and he was carried along by the current under the water. It was the cold that slowly brought him back to his senses. He shivered and tried to suck in a breath only to get a mouthful of water. The panic set in then, and Kíli's eyes shot open, trying to find the way upwards.

He broke the surface, gasping for breath, only to submerge again seconds later. Kicking his legs furiously he broke the surface again and managed to grip at the rocky wall weakly. Barely able to hold his head above the water, he faintly heard his brother's voice yelling his name and tried to answer in kind, the rawness of his throat not letting him shout overly loudly. He tried to look up to find his brother but his arms were already stiffening from the fall, and as he moved to look up he lost his grip and the river claimed him once again.

He lost sense of all time, his world narrowing to the seconds spent at the surface and the minutes spent trying to force his tired muscles to breach the surface again. Despite knowing that he was now classified as a grown up in dwarven culture, only just, he couldn't help but want his brother. Fíli had always been the one to pull him out of any and all the scrapes that they'd managed to fall into. He didn't understand why Fíli hadn't trusted him, he could have saved both of them, if only he had listened! It hurt Kíli that his brother didn't trust his idea. If they had acted upon it immediately, they would be riding to Hobbiton right now, not trying not to drown in this river!

The river turned a sharp corner, and unable to stop himself Kíli was swept into the far wall of the river, head smacking hard against stone. His mouth opened of its own accord and he found himself swallowing water. Sound started to fade out as his vision swam, before his cloak caught on something and he felt all forward momentum stop. Kicking out weakly his feet touched the bottom, and his eyes shot open. His cloak was caught on a small bush that was miraculously growing out of the side of the sheer rock wall. But the river bed was just below his feet. He swung his head around to face the other way, swallowing down the nausea that his head wound caused and saw that the sheer rock wall gave way to a bank about 20 feet to his left. If only he could get there.

With a sharp yank, he ripped his cloak from the bush and was immediately swallowed by the river again, but with the depth tapering off, he was able to push himself to his feet and unsteadily weave his was towards the shore, falling down to his knees and crawling the last few feet. Before flopping onto his front in exhaustion, legs still half in the water, and gave into the pull of unconsciousness.

Fíli was still riding at full pelt through the fields surrounding along the banks of the river, unable to comprehend what would happen if he did not find his brother. The river below him was still encased on both sides by sheer walls, so there was nowhere that Kíli could have escaped the river, but that didn't ease his distress. Until he found him alive and well, nothing would. It felt like hours of riding without catching sight of his brother, before finally, a dark shape came into view in the distance. It was undoubtedly Kíli, body sprawled on the shore awkwardly, clearly not conscious, but hopefully not dead.

The only problem with this was the shore on which Kíli was lying was on the other side of the river and at least 20 feet below where Fíli was standing. "Kíli!" he yelled. There was no response from the younger dwarf, but Fíli had no idea how to get down to him. "Kíli!"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I still own nothing but the mistakes aren't mine! Only kidding they still are! Thank you for the follows, favourites and reviews. Hope you like the latest chapter. Your cave is here Alice :P

Magnetic

_The only problem with this was the shore on which Kíli was lying was on the other side of the river and at least 20 feet below where Fíli was standing. "Kíli!" he yelled. There was no response from the younger dwarf, but Fíli had no idea how to get down to him. "Kíli!"_

Fíli paced along the shore, trying to find a way to get across, his eyes flicking back to his brother every few seconds. Kíli still hadn't responded to any of Fíli's cries or even moved, and it was causing the elder brother to shift from worry to all out panic. He couldn't even see if he was breathing from this far away. His mind flicked back to Kíli's face just before they fell, the barely concealed hurt that was upon it. The last conversation they had would not be about mistrust, it just wouldn't be.

Not seeing a better way across, he tied one of the ropes from his pony to a nearby tree and threw it over the edge. It spooled downwards before stopping roughly three feet above the river. He would be able to get down but he wouldn't be able to get back up. At this point he no longer cared about that, all that mattered was getting to Kíli. Shedding his armour but keeping his swords, he set them down near his horse. With hardly a seconds thought he swung over the edge of the drop and started down the rope, trusting the horses to stay where they were and wait for them both to return. Because he was not coming back alone, he just wasn't.

When he reached the end of the rope, he dropped down into the water. Swimming quickly to the surface, and gasping in a breath. The water was freezing cold, focusing on his brother on the far shore, he began to swim, pushing the cold and the current from him mind. Nothing else mattered.

Before he knew it his feet touched the floor and scrambled to his feet, shivering through his clothes. The current had taken him a little downstream but he could still see Kíli lying on the shore. Breaking into a run he sprinted towards his brother, dropping to his knees at his side.

"Kíli?" his arm shot forwards to his brother's neck, feeling for the reassuring beat of a pulse. His eyes blurred with tears at the relief of finding one. It was faint and it was uneven, but it was there. His brother had not left him yet, though his skin was a cold as marble and Fíli didn't act quickly he could still lose him. Gently he rolled Kíli onto his back, his unconscious brother's limbs falling limply to the ground. Quickly drawing a knife from his boot, he held it in front of his lips and waited for a sign that he still drew breath. For a moment nothing happened, and just as Fíli was about to scream at the injustice of it all, and small patch of the metal fogged with an exhale.

Not needing any more than this Fíli heaved his brother up into his arm and carried him away from the river. Fíli's waterlogged clothing made bending difficult and Kíli was heavier thanks to his own saturated clothes. But none of that mattered to Fíli, his brother could be twice his size and weight and Fíli would still carry his brother to safety.

Once they were far enough away from the river, he looked around for somewhere dry and to his utter joy there was a small cave, not really more than an indentation in the rocky wall to their left. Increasing his pace he set Kíli down there gently and shot off to find some firewood.

He was back within a matter of minutes and had the fire roaring in a few more. Throughout all this Kíli hadn't so much as twitched and Fíli felt the panic begin to creep up on him again. Without wasting any more time, he stripped Kíli down to his underclothes, setting the sodden material next to the fire to dry. It was at this point that he saw the blood that had matted the dark hair and trailed down his neck, hidden, before, by Kíli's cloak.

So that was the reason for the prolonged unconsciousness. Stripping out of his own damp clothes, he set them too by the fire before pulling an unresisting Kíli up into his lap, trying to warm him up faster by placing him between himself and the heat of the fire. Kíli's head limply fell onto Fíli's shoulder, allowing him to get a better look at the wound. It wasn't bleeding anymore, probably due to the cold, but the bruising already forming around it would be spectacular, and Fíli was glad that it would be hidden by Kíli's hair. Their uncle was already dubious about bringing them along on this quest, an injury before they even started would not help their cause.

Tearing off a small section of his cloak he held it to the wound, the cloth was still slightly damp and would help to calm the bruising. They did not stay like this for long before Kíli started to shiver, so violently that Fíli thought he would drop him. Instead, he tightened his grip and started humming under his breath, eyes staring into the flames. He became so focused on the dancing lights reflecting around their small cave, that when one of Kíli's arms swatted him on the shoulder, he physically jumped.

He turned to look at Kíli so fast his neck clicked. Dark lashes were fluttering against pale skin, his arm had fallen to his side again, but it looked like he was coming around. A small groan and the eyes opened slightly, blearily scanning around, but unable to focus on anything. "Kíli?" even he could hear the hope in his voice. Dark eyes turned towards him and he could watch the hazy eyes come into focus. "F-Fíli?" the voice was hoarse and the shivering gave it a stutter, but Fíli had never been so glad to hear anything in his life.

"Hush brother, we are safe now" Not needing to hear anything else, Kíli buried his face in Fíli's neck and continued to shiver. "I am so sorry Kíli! I should have trusted that you're plan would work, you have never once doubted me, but the one time you needed my faith, I let you down. I swear that it will not happen again, not in this lifetime!" he felt more than heard, Kíli's snort of laughter against his neck. "Already forgiven brother, and now we have another tale to regale the others with when we finally reach Hobbiton." Fíli could hear the smile on Kíli's face and found one growing on his own face to match. "If we get there in a piece large enough to tell it"

Kíli brought his arm up to clasp Fíli's shoulder, "We will get there brother" he smirked, removing his face from Fíli's neck so his brother could see that he carried no hard feelings. "Trust me".

Both brothers laughed at this, but Fíli's laughter was more reserved as he searched Kíli's face for any hurt, feeling all doubt leave him when he could spot none. "Well if you feel well enough to jest, maybe we should move on, our clothes are now dry and Balin and Dwalin will wonder where we have gotten to if we tarry much longer." With a nod of agreement, Kíli manoeuvred out of Fíli's grasp and pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly before Fíli's hands on his shoulders steadied him. "I always thought you had a hard head" remarked the older brother, concern bleeding through into his voice, despite the joking comment. Kíli smirked at him and waved off his concern, "You should see the rock I smacked it against."

Between them they had packed up the small camp and put out the fire within a few minutes. And Fíli lead the way back towards the river. "We may have a small problem" he announced once they were walking. "The rope I used to get down to you is not long enough for us to use to get back up. I may have ignored your advice earlier, but I will make no such mistake now, any ideas little brother?"

No cliff-hanger guys!


	4. Chapter 4

_Previously…_

_Between them they had packed up the small camp and put out the fire within a few minutes. And Fíli lead the way back towards the river. "We may have a small problem" he announced once they were walking. "The rope I used to get down to you is not long enough for us to use to get back up. I may have ignored your advice earlier, but I will make no such mistake now, any ideas little brother?" _

Kíli looked at his brother with barely hidden affection, "You jumped down into a river from a rope that didn't reach the ground just to get to me?" He batted his eyelashes, "My hero!" Fíli swatted his brother over the head. "Seriously Orc-breath, we still have to get to Hobbiton" His words were softened by the smile that graced his face, and the arm that moved from Kíli's head to under his arm, supporting the younger dwarf when looking up at the cliff face made his head spin.

"Maybe there is another way up brother?" remarked Kíli, not entirely keen on the idea of climbing up a rope when the world was still slightly tilted. "I dislike the idea as much as you brother, but I could see no easier way down to you, so there is not likely to be an easier way up." Nodding absently Kíli looked at the rope again. "I still have my arrows, we could embed them in the wall and use them as a step up to the rope".

Fíli looked doubtful but remembered that he had told Kíli that he would trust him. Nodding tensely he agreed. Helping Kíli pull several arrows out of his quiver and they both prepared to enter the river again. They shared a look before wading out into the cold waters, remaining standing against the steadfast current and slowly moving towards the far side. A couple of times both Fíli and Kíli nearly fell, the pebbles on the river bed shifting under their feet, but both regained their balance quickly, determined to reach the their goal. When they finally reached the cliff face Fíli took the arrows from Kíli and let his younger brother look or the best area to insert them. Over the roar of the river Kíli captured Fíli's attention and pointed to a crack in the wall thin enough to embed the arrows in but not so wide that they would fall out. Pointing the arrows so the heads were facing the wall, he drew his arm back and, one by one, rammed the arrows into the crevice.

This would allow them to reach the bottom of the rope, but only if the arrows would hold their weight. As if sensing his brother's doubt Kíli looked to Fíli and smiled ruefully. "Relax brother, I'll go first and if I fall on my face in the water, you can laugh until we reach Hobbiton." Without waiting for a reply Kíli pushed off the bottom of the riverbed, bringing his right leg up and stepping on the arrows, using his momentum to jump and grab onto the rope with both hands.

Unable to grip the rope straight away, Kíli slipped down the rope for a few seconds before able to stop himself. He smirked looking down at Fíli, who was looking up with a look of pride. "Don't say it" came the voice of the elder dwarf. "Don't say what brother?" inquired Kíli, his voice too innocent to truly be so. Shaking his head Fíli moved to where Kíli had climbed up onto the arrows, unable to hold back his laughter as Kíli yelled, "Told you so!"

Copying his brother's actions Fíli jumped up onto the arrows and leaped for the rope, but the arrows gave way beneath him and with a startled yell his leap fell short and he looked downwards towards the river ,where he was sure to end up. To his surprise however a hand wrapped around his outstretched wrist and he found himself suspended above the river once more. He looked upwards and saw Kíli holding him up, clearly struggling to support himself and Fíli on the rope. Just as Fíli was about to tell Kíli to let him go before they both fell back down, his brother spoke. "Fíli, I need you to trust me!"

Fíli couldn't help but wonder what Kíli could possibly do in this situation that wouldn't end up in disaster. But his mind shoved an image of Kíli lying still on the side of the river in front of his eyes and he found himself in the situation he was in earlier that day, with a choice in front of him. To trust Kíli and whatever plan he had concocted, or to try and get both of them out of this himself. Hesitating only for a second he met the dark brown gaze of his brother. "I trust you"

Not waiting for a second longer Kíli pulled his hand that was grasping Fíli's wrist up to be level with himself, eternally thankful for the great upper body strength that being an archer granted him. Fíli shot up to be level with Kíli, who let go with his own hand, dropping down and grabbing the end of the rope by Fíli's legs. "Kíli!" yelled Fíli when his brother dropped from his sight. "I'm fine Fíli! We're both fine, and you can yell at me for being reckless later, can we please just climb up the rope now?"

Sighing in relief Fíli began to climb the rope. Before long he reached the top and dragged himself back onto the solid ground of the road, quickly scanning the surroundings to make sure that the ponies were still there, before looking down to check Kíli's progress. His brother appeared at the top after a few moments and Fíli helped him back up to the road. They both sunk to sit on the ground, looking down at the river below them. "That was very reckless" he teased Kíli remembering his earlier words. The two burst into laughter, both at the jest and in sheer relief at their little adventure coming to an end.

Getting to his feet, Fíli offered his hand to Kíli and pulling him to his feet also, "Next time we fall into a situation like this Kíli, I promise that I will trust you, so long as you promise to try and not be entirely reckless" Kíli snorted, "I can promise to try" he replied eyes twinkling with mischief. Clapping his brother on the shoulder Fíli laughed at his reply, and the two of them made their way over to their ponies, Kíli remembering the events leading up to him falling into the river, and Fíli knowing that whatever dangers they were to face in the future, they would face them together.

After they mounted their ponies Fíli took the lead, smile on his face that was quickly wiped away as a pinecone hit him on the top of the head. He turned to look at Kíli questioningly who smirked evilly back. "That was for knocking me off my horse!"

This is the end of the story, thank you to everyone who reviewed/favourite/followed. It is much appreciated and I hope that you enjoy the final chapter.


End file.
